‘Under the Dome’ & ‘Extant’ Renewed for New Seasons

Only yesterday we learned Fox was interested in developing more science fiction series for television, having ordered a new sc-fi pilot from Len Wiseman and Scott Rosenbaum. And while Fox is notorious for axing sci-fi shows before they have a chance to find their audience, the move is nonetheless a promising one.

Today’s television is dominated by superheroes and monsters, and though both of those sub- genres fall under science fiction, there aren’t many shows that are solely sci-fi. BBC America has had great success with Doctor Who and Orphan Black, but on network television, sci-fi shows like Almost Human and Intelligence didn’t even last one season.

Yet things seem to be on an upswing for a couple of CBS’ sci-fi dramas. Deadline is reporting that bothUnder the Dome and Extant have been renewed for season 3 and season 2, respectively. As for CBS’ other summer shows – the legal drama, Reckless and crime mystery, Unforgettable – there’s been no word on what will happen to the latter, but CBS has chosen not to renew Reckless.

Under the Dome is a series that has continued to perform well for the network, though it’s never been able to match the high-rated performance of its first season. Extant, however, wasn’t nearly as strong as many expected given that its lead was a movie actress with star appeal. But CBS is confident there’s more for the series to explore, and Deadline reports that they enjoy having Halle Berry on the team.

Another factor in CBS’ decision to renew both Under the Dome and Extant is the deal the network has with Amazon, allowing episodes from both shows to become available to stream only four days after they air. In fact, CBS struck this deal with Amazon even before Extant premiered, and it – along with international sales – proved so profitable that the series’ ratings were basically a non-factor when it came to renewal.

Considering the huge impact streaming services like Amazon, Netflix and Hulu have had on our viewing habits, it isn’t all too surprising that a network like CBS would try working with one of them. And those streaming outlets are very interested in snagging television’s hottest programs – just look at Netflix’s landmark $2 million-an-episode deal to score the exclusive rights to NBC’s The Blacklist.

Are you glad to hear CBS chose to renew both Under the Dome and Extant? Do you believe more networks will continue to make deals with streaming outlets to bolster the profits their shows earn? Drop us a line in the comments below!